Have you considered the Rap4 468.
Has several configurations from the starting in range of $350. Cheap mags, $6 each.
The only downside is that it uses spyder barrel and the stock grip is really uncomfortable, but is compatible with ar15 furniture.

i got one of the 468's i love the mechanical eye to i don't have to worry about cheap paint breaking with i fire almost at all if its to week it will not fire it plus they are the easiest marker you will ever find to clean.

i got one of the 468's i love the mechanical eye to i don't have to worry about cheap paint breaking with i fire almost at all if its to week it will not fire it plus they are the easiest marker you will ever find to clean.

Saw my first 468 this weekend and I have to second this when it comes to ease of breakdown. I thought the DAM was fast with a one turn and pull assembly but the 468 is even quicker. That is one nice marker.

T9 would be my personal gun of choice. Not sure if that's out of your price range or not though.

I agree, its very easy to switch between FS and .68 in the woods on a T9.1, which is what I use when I am playing, but I also play with two guns, so I don't need to switch very often. I think eventually I will end up getting a 4.1 and a Phenom/TM15, but right now my 98/T9.1 does great. Last game we played I had 34 kills in 4 hours in a 4v4. It was awesome.

Milsig Paradigm. That is the winner of the quickly switch between FS and regular. 10 Rd. mags for the FS, and 20 for the regular. They really like good paint as well (Valken Graffiti) with no breakage so far!

Milsig Paradigm. That is the winner of the quickly switch between FS and regular. 10 Rd. mags for the FS, and 20 for the regular. They really like good paint as well (Valken Graffiti) with no breakage so far!

If it requires a mag change the DAM is faster...flip a switch. But if it is mag only, then there are a number of markers that can do this...

Maybe I'm just missing something. Is there a reason why the MilSig is faster at switching than other mag fed markers?

If it requires a mag change the DAM is faster...flip a switch. But if it is mag only, then there are a number of markers that can do this...

Maybe I'm just missing something. Is there a reason why the MilSig is faster at switching than other mag fed markers?

I am basing this on the fact of the FAZMAG. And yes there are other markers that do one mag for FS and one for regular 68cal. But how many come from a reputable manufacture? Dye and Milsig. How many are under $1000? Milsig. In my book that is the winner.

You're talking mag fed. Which means you need mags. ONE FS 10 round mag for the MilSig is $38. ONE 20 round mag for paintball only is $33. To have four extra FS mags and four extra 20 round mags, you'd be looking at a cost of $284.

For a Dam, the magazines are $20 for a PAIR of 10 rounds and $25 for a PAIR of 20 rounds...both capable of firing FS rounds or paintballs. For the same number of mags in the same capacity, you're looking at $90.

For the MilSig, you're looking at $1,174.
For the DAM, you're looking at $1,390.

A difference of $216.

If you include the mags that come with the markers, (the Paradigm comes with one 10 round FS mag and one 20 round mag...the DAM with 2 10 round mags, both FS ready) so that you have a total of 4 10 round mags and 4 20 round mags...

The Paradigm is $1,103
The DAM is $1,370

Difference of $267.

So in reality, for a Mag Fed marker, you're not saving a whole lot going with the MilSig considering the cost of the magazines. And if a Paradigm mag gets lost or damaged, the cost for replacement is steep. For one of their 10 round mags you can almost get 4 DAM 10 round mags.

Now then, if you go with the Dye's setup of using a hopper...which he probably already has...and gets two more 10 round mags for First Strikes...

The DAM now comes down to $1,320

Which brings the difference down to $216 again. And the Dye will switch faster between paintballs and FS. And if you want to carry 20 FS instead of 12 (which is what the 10 round DAM mags actually hold) make that $221 for two 10 rounds and two 20 rounds.

In reality, we're not talking a huge difference in price between the two considering we're talking about over $1,000 setups...plural.

You're talking mag fed. Which means you need mags. ONE FS 10 round mag for the MilSig is $38. ONE 20 round mag for paintball only is $33. To have four extra FS mags and four extra 20 round mags, you'd be looking at a cost of $284.

For a Dam, the magazines are $20 for a PAIR of 10 rounds and $25 for a PAIR of 20 rounds...both capable of firing FS rounds or paintballs. For the same number of mags in the same capacity, you're looking at $90.

For the MilSig, you're looking at $1,174.
For the DAM, you're looking at $1,390.

A difference of $216.

If you include the mags that come with the markers, (the Paradigm comes with one 10 round FS mag and one 20 round mag...the DAM with 2 10 round mags, both FS ready) so that you have a total of 4 10 round mags and 4 20 round mags...

The Paradigm is $1,103
The DAM is $1,370

Difference of $267.

So in reality, for a Mag Fed marker, you're not saving a whole lot going with the MilSig considering the cost of the magazines. And if a Paradigm mag gets lost or damaged, the cost for replacement is steep. For one of their 10 round mags you can almost get 4 DAM 10 round mags.

Now then, if you go with the Dye's setup of using a hopper...which he probably already has...and gets two more 10 round mags for First Strikes...

The DAM now comes down to $1,320

Which brings the difference down to $216 again. And the Dye will switch faster between paintballs and FS. And if you want to carry 20 FS instead of 12 (which is what the 10 round DAM mags actually hold) make that $221 for two 10 rounds and two 20 rounds.

In reality, we're not talking a huge difference in price between the two considering we're talking about over $1,000 setups...plural.

And with the DAM you get to switch between semi, 3 round burst and full auto. It seems like this option gets left out a lot when comparing these markers to each other. Before I bought mine I did a lot of reading and comparing and for the price of the mags and being able to switch between mode (I really haven't used them yet ) had me sold.

I have a Hammer 7 and it's great fun to play with. You can load regular paintballs and FSRs into a single mag with no problem. Switching from magfed to hopper does require undoing a screw on the top of the marker, but I've literally never attached the hopper feedneck to my hammer 7 because mags are much more fun.

Don't straddle the fence. The idea of switching paint type mid game is nice but comes with some caveats, the largest of which is the variation in FPS. Either you chrono at 250-260 for balls so you don't exceed 300 FPS with first strikes or you deal with risks of getting a spot check and kicked. For a 20 minute game carrying and firing 2 types of rnds isn't practical and won't help develop the skill to shoot first strikes.
If you want to play first strike for a day or a game play first strike if you want to use normal paint switch off the field. They're 2 completely different rnds that have their own styles of play, you're not doing your self many favors by trying 2 master both styles.
As far as marker selection depending on your budget I'd go Hammer or convert a Tippmann to mag fed, I believe the latest system will fire first strikes.

Don't straddle the fence. The idea of switching paint type mid game is nice but comes with some caveats, the largest of which is the variation in FPS. Either you chrono at 250-260 for balls so you don't exceed 300 FPS with first strikes or you deal with risks of getting a spot check and kicked. For a 20 minute game carrying and firing 2 types of rnds isn't practical and won't help develop the skill to shoot first strikes.
If you want to play first strike for a day or a game play first strike if you want to use normal paint switch off the field. They're 2 completely different rnds that have their own styles of play, you're not doing your self many favors by trying 2 master both styles.
As far as marker selection depending on your budget I'd go Hammer or convert a Tippmann to mag fed, I believe the latest system will fire first strikes.

I disagree with the vast majority of this.

While true that you have to "chrono down" for regular paint, the right number is in the 275-285 range for a field with a 295 limit. If you have a field with a 270 limit...which is lower than any I've ever seen...then you might need to drop into the 250-260 range. We've usually seen a 10-15 fps jump with FS rounds. There is not a 40-50 fps jump between FS and regular paint as you claim.

Stating that "you're not doing your self many favors by trying 2 master both styles" is a very close minded statement. It infers that there are ONLY 2 styles to master. That has been true becuase up until markers having the ability to fire both rounds, there only were two "style" options. Now you have the option of having a more flexible player in games where it's necessary.

In scenario or big game format, this is more useful. Imagine if you're running a mission with a group and get caught up in a close range firefight. The guy with FS only rounds is going to be at a sever disadvantage. It is no different than a pump player and not saying he still won't be effective, but for those that play pump I'm sure you've found yourself in a situation where having a semi-auto with a full hopper of paint would have come in handy.

Now you take that same unit and put them in a position where they are facing off against a guy with a FS equipped marker. They are far outranged even shooting 300 fps with regular paint. Having someone who could match that range in the unit is helpful. Not to say you can't do it without FS rounds, but it's a nice option to have.

So now there is a "third" style of play...one that allows for a lot of flexibility. It takes a player who knows when to use the right tool for the right job. The slight reduction in FPS for regular paint isn't going to affect them because if the target is so far away that they need that extra velocity, they have it in their FS rounds but if it's a little closer and ROF comes into play, then they have the standard rounds firing more than fast enough to hit and eliminate a player at closer ranges.

Like you mentioned though, for 20 minute recreational games it's best to choose one or the other as you don't find yourself in widly varying situations. But for Big Games or Scenarios, that's a totally different story.